The Botanist, Richmond

This is a nice looking gastro pub that was serving up Sharp's Cornish Coaster, Fosters, Kronenburg, San Miguel, Birra Morreti, Aspalls cider and Guinness on my visit last week. The barman was very friendly, but unfortunately I was the only person in the pub at 12:30 and after returning from the toilet upstairs I was told that I have to move as a reserved sign had suddenly appeared on my table. I'm not 100% that it wasn't there when I originally sat down, but I'm pretty sure. It's a fairly big pub, but it is nicely sectioned so that it doesn't have a food hall atmosphere. I spotted a couple of plasma screens and I could have sat there all afternoon watching the tennis. The ‘sun trap' paved beer garden is fairly small and unexciting although there are thousands of little lights around the walls, so maybe it comes to life at night. I wouldn't go out of my way to drink here, but I've been to a lot worse gastro pubs than this so I may pop in if passing again.